could i do this?

chucky17 · September 9, 2010, 4:24pm

Hi ive purchased a tamiya king tiger but… i wan’t to do it in a different colour scheme.

But ive got the tank unit markings 313. 332. 334

but would they fit in historically with a colour scheme of sandy with green stripes?

thanks

fermis · September 9, 2010, 6:04pm

It’s going on YOUR shelf, right?

You could paint it pink if like…you might end up in the “Most sensitive” thread though!

chucky17 · September 9, 2010, 6:24pm

yes? why? lol

deafpanzer · September 9, 2010, 8:20pm

Fermis said it perfectly! It is your build. Rivet counters may holler NO while others would say go for it! Go for whatever you feel most comfortable. I always liked that camo scheme you mentioned…

Tojo72 · September 10, 2010, 7:15am

You guys are definitly right,he can paint it any way he wants,but he did ask if it would be historically correct,I don’t know the answer,but thats what he is looking for.not whether or not he could.

Hans_von_Hammer · September 10, 2010, 9:24am

As far as colors go, both the green and brown were applied at unit-level in the field over the manufacturer’s Dunklegelb… Colors varied from tank to tank, since the paint was gasoline-soluable, and color shade would depend on how much gas was added to thin it and if ti was sprayed on or brushed… It’s concievable that no brown was added to a particular tank’s camo-scheme as well… The unit simply could have run out of the red-brown before getting to that tank qnd was left with only green to apply… So knock yourself out…

The turret numbers are simply to ID the tank and commander and where he belonged. From one of my refs:

In addition to the insignia, tactical numbers were provided to enable a unit commander easily to recognise and communicate with individual vehicles within his unit. These were normally three-figure numbers of which the first showed the company within the mother unit, the second the Zug or platoon within that company, the third indicating the individual vehicle within the platoon. HQ vehicles carried distinctive ciphers consisting of either a capital R (Regiment) or a big Roman I, II or III (Abteilung) with a two-figure number from 01 to 09 indicating specific Officers (eg R01 was the regimental commander). Within the companies certain combinations also identified the sub-unit commanders and their aides: 01 the company commander, 02 the CSM, while platoon leaders took 11, 21, etc. Thus the commander of 3rd Zug in the 2nd kompanie of the 2nd Abteilung (6th company in the regiment) would be 631.

These numbers were officially restricted to tank units, armoured infantry and armoured engineer units, armoured infantry companies of the recce Abteilung and unit staff armoured vehicle up to Regiment level. They were normally displayed prominently on armour or turret sides and rear in a variety of types. Originally they were on detachable rhomboid boards, presumably to facilitate transfer to a replacement vehicle, but these were replaced after the French campaign by painted numbers usually a white outline with black or red centre depending on the vehicle camouflage.